Nottingham Racecourse was established in Colwick Park, just two miles east of Nottingham City Centre, in 1892, replacing Forest Racecourse, which closed two years earlier. Although a dual purpose venue for most of its existence, the last National Hunt meeting took place at Nottingham Racecourse in 1996. Today, Nottingham plays host to 18 Flat fixtures throughout the season.
Course Characteristics
The round course at Nottingham is a left-handed, flat, galloping oval, approximately a mile and a half around, with a four and a half furlong home straight. The galloping nature of the track is reduced slightly by the sharp turn into the straight, but this is amply compensated for by the length of the straight itself. Races over six furlongs and two and a quarter miles start on a chute, which joins the round course at the top of the home straight.
Track Facts
Five-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Golden Miller won a steeplechase at Nottingham in 1931.
The Cambridgeshire, usually run at Newmarket, was run at Nottingham for the only and only time in 1940.
At Nottingham in 1971, Stan Mellor became the first National Hunt jockey in history to ride 1,000 winners.
In 1984, subsequent fillies’ Triple Crown heroine, Oh So Sharp, made a winning debut at Nottingham.
Prior to retiring for the first time in 1985, Lester Piggott rode his last winner at Nottingham.